Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 20 (ANI): Slamming the Opposition over the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K. Annamalai on Monday criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress, questioning their opposition despite what he described as improved representation for southern states.

Speaking to ANI, Annamalai said, 'I really don't understand what DMK's problem and Congress's problem is when all the southern Indian states' quota went up by 50%.'

'The overall proportional representation of southern India continues to be at 23.9%, a marginal increase from 23.7%. So nobody has a problem except DMK and Congress. DMK wanted to propagate the dynasty... People of Tamil Nadu are watching it. I'm very sure that on April 23, they will vote decisively against DMK and Congress', he said.

Highlighting the NDA's agenda, Annamalai reiterated support for Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as the Chief Ministerial candidate and outlined key promises.

He also said, 'EPS, who is our Chief Minister candidate, has very clearly said, first 100 days anti-ganja task force will be under his control... Also, for farmers, he has clearly mentioned that there will be a Rs 22,000 crore waiver of their agriculture loans...'

Annamalai asserted that voters across Tamil Nadu are leaning toward a political shift in the upcoming Assembly Elections.

Criticising the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam over law and order and urban infrastructure, he expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance would secure victory, projecting Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the next Chief Minister.

'Tamil Nadu has decided to vote for change. The reading on the ground is very clear. The people want a decisive government to come and take stock of the bad law and order situation and to clean it up, clean the mess that the DMK government has created. The urban infrastructure is in a real mess,' Annamalai said.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu polls are scheduled to be conducted in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.

The main electoral contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay-led TVK is attempting to turn the state elections into a three-way contest. (ANI)